THE VARIABLE g PENDULUM

Purpose: To investigate the dependence of the period of the simple pendulum on the
length of the string - L and the acceleration of gravity g.

Apparatus: Air table, pendulum, stand, meter rule, electronic clock, protractor.

Discussion: A simple pendulum is a small object of mass m that is suspended at the

end of a string. Simple means that almost all of the systems mass can be
assumed to be concentrated in the object; the strings mass is negligible. The period
of the pendulum, T, is the time for the pendulum to swing from the right to the left
and back to the right gain. The period is given by the equation:

T = 2[L/g]1/2, (1)

where L is the length of the pendulum and g is the acceleration of gravity. The
period is precisely independent of m, which reflects the fact that the acceleration of
gravity is independent of m. The period does depend slightly on the amplitude of
the motion, the angle , defined in Figure 1, but for fairly small angles Equation 1
is quite accurate.
 Most experiments with the pendulum involve investigating the dependence of
T on L, m and . In this experiment we will investigate the dependence of the
period on L and g. To do this, we wont travel to the moon, where the acceleration of
gravity is different. We will place the pendulum on a frictionless air table, tilted at
an angle with the horizontal (Figure 2).

In this arrangement the y-component of the weight is balanced by the normal force
of the table, and it is only the x-component that causes the swing of the pendulum,

Wx = W sin . (2)

Therefore Eq. (1) is replaced by

T = 2[L/geff]1/2,

where the effective g is given by geff = g sin . Hence we have

T = 2[L/ g sin ]1/2 (3)

Note that since the center of gravity of the disk is at its center, the length of the
pendulum is

L = Lstring + R,

where R is the radius of the disk.

Procedure:

We will do one experiment with fixed and variable L, and one experiment
with fixed L and variable . For each choice of these two independent variables,
determine the period by letting the pendulum execute 10 swings. Hold the disk to
the right and release it from rest. Let it swing once or twice before starting the
electronic clock. Measure the time for 10 swings and then divide by 10. [In a few
cases where the motion is quite slow (large L and small ) you might use 5 swings].
Do each measurement 3 times, and average the 3 to find the best value for the
period.

The amplitude angle, , from which the disk is released, should be the same
for all runs. Use a protractor to set , but this needs to be done only approximately,
since the dependence of the period varies only slightly with amplitude. Choose
such that for the largest value of L (60 cm) the pendulum swings almost from the
side wall of the table.

To set at a certain value, say 30o, calculate the height, H to which the end of
the table must be raised (where it is attached to the vertical post). The height and
the angle do not have to be set exactly. In good experimental technique you dont
try to set an independent variable exactly. You set it approximately, and the
measure it exactly.

To set a given length, L, determine the length of string needed, and loop the
string once around the wire on the upper end of the air table. Dont tie a knot; just
keep the string in place with an alligator clip.

I. Variation of L.
Set at around 20o. Choose Lstring so that L takes on the values 12, 20, 30,
40, 50, and 60 cm, and measure the period. Plot T vs. (L)1/2. Determine by
hand the best straight line fit to the 6 points. Find the slope of the line.
 According to Eq. (3), the theoretical value of the slope is 2(g sin )1/2.
Compare your measured slope to this, and find the percent error.

II. Variation of .
Set L = 50 cm. Measure the period for = 12, 20, 30, 45, and 65o. Plot T
vs. 1/(sin )1/2. Determine the best straight line, and find its slope. The
theoretical value of the slope is 2(L/g)1/2. Compare your measured slope
to this, and find the percent error.

Data Entry:

I. Variation of L

L (cm) Trial 1 (sec) Trial 2 (sec) Trial 3 (sec) Average T

(sec)
12
20
30
40
50
60

II. Variation of

(degrees) Trial 1 (sec) Trial 2 (sec) Trial 3 (sec) Average T

(sec)
12
20
30
45
65